Many of the most valuable rainforest hardwood resources are in danger of extinction due to extensive logging. It is not viable to attempt to replace slow-growing hardwood tree species and maintain a vibrant logging industry. Consequently many countries have placed bans on the logging and export of such species, and have resorted to fast growing plantation softwood species and some non-wood species like bamboo in order to maintain their timber industry. Notwithstanding such bans unscrupulous loggers and exporters continue to harvest species such as Ebony (very dense blackwood from species of genus Diospyros, family of Ebenaceace) and Rosewood (family Leguminosae). Ebony species under threat include Diospyros ebenum (India and Sri Lanka), Diospyros crassiflora (Africa), Diospyros celebica (Indonesia) and Diospyros gracilipes (Madagascar). One reason for this continued trade is that the plantation softwood timber is not comparable to the hardwood species in terms of performance, such as structural and engineering characteristics, for instance, water resistance, impact resistance, density, dimensionally stability, and so on.
In an aspect the present invention is directed to the chemical treatment of plantation grown wood and non-wood (such as plantation grown softwood and sapwood, and even bamboo), with the aim of producing a modified wood non-wood product which shares many of the qualities of natural hardwood timber, thus reducing the desire for the natural hardwood.